This week I went to the Fetal Medicine Unit for an ultrasound.
They used to be right next door to my ob/gyn but since the ob/gyn moved (across the road) I just parked there and walked over because there's a Macca's in the other carpark so it's always hectic.
I got there early, but then got distracted and ended up having to rush up a flight of stairs to be on time. Wasn't really sure what to expect, so sitting in the waiting room for longer than I thought I'd be made me nervous. The receptionists were all very nice. So was the doctor.
He actually made conversation with me that wasn't entirely to do with medical stuff, including a little know fact about a famous namesake of mine. He was delighted that I already knew it, but I didn't tell him that I'd actually read it in a book no more than three days prior to my visit.
The doctor seemed a little too polite? Like... at this point everyone else is like OK pants off time, let me close the door for a few seconds but this guy draws the curtains, leaves the room and tells me he'll knock before he comes in. It's kind of amusing.
So I undress and get up on this little stand to reach the bed height - sort of. I'm expecting a hard surface, so I jump onto it intending to use my cat-like reflexes to grasp the sides and stabilise myself but it's actually squishy as hell, so I almost bounce right off the other end!
I manage to extract myself from the ten million pillows there and get into position. The doctor comes back and says I'm better off inserting the trans-vaginal probe for comfort and he averts his eyes. Not sure if not entirely comfortable with vaginas or if he's just trying to make me feel comfortable.
Anyway, the whole point was to check fetal viability and it seemed pretty good. The doctor was happy with everything. He points out what's what, tells me it looks great and healthy in there and then..... something I didn't/hadn't known to expect.
The trans-vaginal stick is secretly a microphone and I can hear baby's heartbeat!
I didn't even know it could do that!
It put me in mind of those scenes in movies/parodies where some jerk hummingbird starts slowing down time and all you can hear is it's wings flapping - but not as slow or annoying.
It's just that everything else seemed to stop or quieten down and then there was this.
It was the most entrancing noise ever.
It made me think that the acoustics in my lady flagship are friggin' great.
It really hits me that we did it - there's something alive in me that we made!
I could listen to that for hours. That reassuring, exciting sound. I felt bad because if I had known this was going to be happening, I would have asked if hubby could have come to the session.
I left that office with a skip in my step (so I wisely chose not to use the stairs on the way down) and I went to that damn Macca's and ordered lunch so I could sit down and take everything in before heading off the the Ob/Gyn for a follow up.
I can barely eat, and I have to balance the folder they gave me with the cuuuuute ultrasound photos and... I dunno, possibly some other important information or something... while I get myself sorted. All the while being careful not to let anything sticky or wet or suspicious touch the folder of goodness which also contains a USB that I bring back to future appointments so we can add more images to it.
While waiting for the specialist I speak to my thyroid specialist... I'm so special! and confirm upping the dose of medication. Ob/Gyn confirms this and is super pleased with results. I'm super pleased too!
They used to be right next door to my ob/gyn but since the ob/gyn moved (across the road) I just parked there and walked over because there's a Macca's in the other carpark so it's always hectic.
I got there early, but then got distracted and ended up having to rush up a flight of stairs to be on time. Wasn't really sure what to expect, so sitting in the waiting room for longer than I thought I'd be made me nervous. The receptionists were all very nice. So was the doctor.
He actually made conversation with me that wasn't entirely to do with medical stuff, including a little know fact about a famous namesake of mine. He was delighted that I already knew it, but I didn't tell him that I'd actually read it in a book no more than three days prior to my visit.
The doctor seemed a little too polite? Like... at this point everyone else is like OK pants off time, let me close the door for a few seconds but this guy draws the curtains, leaves the room and tells me he'll knock before he comes in. It's kind of amusing.
So I undress and get up on this little stand to reach the bed height - sort of. I'm expecting a hard surface, so I jump onto it intending to use my cat-like reflexes to grasp the sides and stabilise myself but it's actually squishy as hell, so I almost bounce right off the other end!
 |
| Started on the mattress now we on the floor |
I manage to extract myself from the ten million pillows there and get into position. The doctor comes back and says I'm better off inserting the trans-vaginal probe for comfort and he averts his eyes. Not sure if not entirely comfortable with vaginas or if he's just trying to make me feel comfortable.
Anyway, the whole point was to check fetal viability and it seemed pretty good. The doctor was happy with everything. He points out what's what, tells me it looks great and healthy in there and then..... something I didn't/hadn't known to expect.
The trans-vaginal stick is secretly a microphone and I can hear baby's heartbeat!
I didn't even know it could do that!
It put me in mind of those scenes in movies/parodies where some jerk hummingbird starts slowing down time and all you can hear is it's wings flapping - but not as slow or annoying.
It's just that everything else seemed to stop or quieten down and then there was this.
It was the most entrancing noise ever.
It made me think that the acoustics in my lady flagship are friggin' great.
It really hits me that we did it - there's something alive in me that we made!
(.....and it's NOT an alien!)
 |
| Sometimes you just have to check. |
Results
Ultrasound view: Good
Gestational Sac: Present
Yolk Sac: Present
Amniotic Sac: Present
Embryo: Present
Fetal Heart Activity: Present (Frequency 126Bpm)
Estimated Due Date: 30th October 2018
I left that office with a skip in my step (so I wisely chose not to use the stairs on the way down) and I went to that damn Macca's and ordered lunch so I could sit down and take everything in before heading off the the Ob/Gyn for a follow up.
I can barely eat, and I have to balance the folder they gave me with the cuuuuute ultrasound photos and... I dunno, possibly some other important information or something... while I get myself sorted. All the while being careful not to let anything sticky or wet or suspicious touch the folder of goodness which also contains a USB that I bring back to future appointments so we can add more images to it.
While waiting for the specialist I speak to my thyroid specialist... I'm so special! and confirm upping the dose of medication. Ob/Gyn confirms this and is super pleased with results. I'm super pleased too!
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